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Question About Which Keyboard To Use With GS

Hey Guys. I'm on the verge of buying GS3 this week and I was wondering something. Do I need a special keyboard? Like one with weighted keys and all that stuff or will any MIDI capable keyboard do the trick? Right now, I have a Yamaha PSR-273 (http://www.yamaha.com/yamahavgn/CDA/...205000,00.html) and it's done me good for the past 2 years as far as MIDI goes. But GS is a whole different monster and I'm wondering if I should see about getting a real professional keyboard or will I be safe with the one I have now? Thank you and regards.

Re: Question About Which Keyboard To Use With GS

This keyboard will work, but it's not ideal. If it had a wod wheel, pitch wheel and at least one additional fader, you'd be set.

As far as weighted keys go, they're great for playing piano, and I like them as they give me more feel for how hard I'm pressing the keys. For faster stuff, like drums, a non-weighted keyboard is actually better. I wish I had one of each.

The lack of controls (mod wheel, etc) doesn't make the keyboard unusable. It just means that you can't control the swell of the sustain instruments (or vibrato, or pitch bend) in real time. You can still draw those into your sequencer though.

It's great if you can become skilled at "playing the wheels and sliders". It makes your music more expressive. But the fact is, it's hard to learn. In lots of cases you end up drawing in those controls anyway. But if you don't have them, you'll never learn how to play them.

This keyboard will get you started though. Just make sure that the next one has those other controls. And if you plan on playing mostly piano sounds, get a weighted one next time. If you plan to play a wide variety of sounds, unweighted is just fine. Especially, if that's what you are used to and you prefer it.

Re: Question About Which Keyboard To Use With GS

Originally Posted by JonFairhurst

This keyboard will work, but it's not ideal. If it had a wod wheel, pitch wheel and at least one additional fader, you'd be set.

As far as weighted keys go, they're great for playing piano, and I like them as they give me more feel for how hard I'm pressing the keys. For faster stuff, like drums, a non-weighted keyboard is actually better. I wish I had one of each.

The lack of controls (mod wheel, etc) doesn't make the keyboard unusable. It just means that you can't control the swell of the sustain instruments (or vibrato, or pitch bend) in real time. You can still draw those into your sequencer though.

It's great if you can become skilled at "playing the wheels and sliders". It makes your music more expressive. But the fact is, it's hard to learn. In lots of cases you end up drawing in those controls anyway. But if you don't have them, you'll never learn how to play them.

This keyboard will get you started though. Just make sure that the next one has those other controls. And if you plan on playing mostly piano sounds, get a weighted one next time. If you plan to play a wide variety of sounds, unweighted is just fine. Especially, if that's what you are used to and you prefer it.

-JF

As Jon says.............., however, you really need a keyboard with Mod wheel as you will quickly become frustrated at having to draw in all those changes.

Re: Question About Which Keyboard To Use With GS

There are some products that have MIDI sliders, knobs and wheels that you could add to your existing keyboard. But you might find a better solution by shopping for some of the recent, inexpensive keyboards from M-Audio or Alesis. Some are just USB out (no audio outputs or MIDI), and that would work fine for playing sounds from the computer, including sounds from GS3. You might find some good deals on ebay.

Re: Question About Which Keyboard To Use With GS

Thanks guys. All this info is helping out.

Another question, should I get myself a sustain pedal as well? I've always wanted to get one, but I've always had this crazy idea that I'd be getting a new and more powerful keyboard for my musical needs so I shouldn't invest in my Yamaha PSR273. But I'm definately looking into getting one of these new keyboards with the mod wheel and what not on it so I can use GS3 to its fullest.

Re: Question About Which Keyboard To Use With GS

If your keyboard has a 1/4" volume pedal input, you could buy a nice volume pedal, plug it in, and change the mod wheel data in your DAW to accept the data from the volume pedal, and use overdub feature in the DAW instead of drawing in the mod wheel data.

Re: Question About Which Keyboard To Use With GS

Regarding the sustain pedal, you will definitely want one. If you buy a new keyboard, it may come for free though.

The good news is that sustain pedals are pretty interchangeable. Some switch on when you depress them. Others switch off. Just make sure the pedal is plugged in when you turn on they keyboard, and it will autamatically sense which is connected. Is that cool or what?

Volume pedals are not so friendly. You have to make sure you get the one made for your keyboard.

Re: Question About Which Keyboard To Use With GS

If my GS3 question were so easy. Anyway, you might look into the Kurzweil SP88. It's a full-88 with a weight that's in between synth-action and fully-weighted. Great for those of us who tap in drums on keyboards. Try doing a Bruford-style technique on a fully-weighted keyboard and you'll think twice about other 88-note models.